Fontanelles. Fontanelles are soft spots on an infant's head that represent where the bones that make up the skull will later fuse. Most babies have an anterior fontanelle (in the front), and some neonates may have a posterior fontanelle (in the back), though this is uncommon. The anterior fontanelle typical closes around 12 months of age.

Open spaces. The soft spots are areas where the bones of the scalp haven't completely connected yet. This gives your baby's brain some room to grow and develop. The brain has protective layers so that it is not exposed. The front spot (anterior fontanelle) usually closes by 12-14 months. The posterior fontanelle is smaller and closes by 4 months.

Fontanelles. They are called fontanelles. They are the places where the bony "plates" of your baby's skull nearly come together. They stay open during the first year to allow for the very rapid growth of your baby's brain, which will never be faster than in the first 12 months.

Fontanelles. The soft spots on your babies scalp are called fontanelles. It is where your babies skull plates have not grown together yet to allow your babies brain to grow. Over time, these do fill in and grow together. It is perfectly safe to touch the fontanelle, i just tell parents not to push on them.

Spaces for growth. The soft spots on a baby's skull are spaces for the skull bones to grow into as the brain gets bigger. Without such open spaces, the skull bones cannot grow much (resulting in a smaller skull putting a lot of pressure onto the brain). The soft spots are called fontanelles, and they usually fill in by 18 months of age.

Fontanelle. The soft spots on the head are where the bones of the skull haven't come together yet. When born, the skull is several pieces of bone that can slide over one another to allow the head to fit out of the vaginal canal. I like to call the soft spot the "pressure valve". It protects the brain if there is a bleed in the head, allowing expansion. A fused skull does not allow this, causing brain damage.

Fontanelles. The "soft spots" on a newborns head are called fontanelles. The bones in a baby's skull have not yet knitted together, this is so that the baby can fit through the birth canal, and so that the baby's brain can grow a lot in the first two years of life. The soft spots will be gone when the bones knit together, around 18 months.

Usually normal! The classic "soft spot" on babies is the anterior fontanelle, a space that is needed for the head to expand and take shape as the brain grows. Your pediatrician will examine your baby and determine if the soft spot is within the normal range or if it needs to be paid close attention.

Fontanelles. These are normal, and are of no concern. When the bones of the skull grow together, these soft spots disappear, typically before 2 years old. If you can't feel the soft spot in a child less than 1, have your pediatrician check their head shape, size and surface for ridges.